Things Remembered
by Green Bunny Goddess
Summary: After the dust settles, there are some things that should never be left behind.


Title: Things Remembered  
  
Author: Venus Blue  
  
Summary: After the dust settles, there are some things that should never be left behind.  
  
Rating: G. Nothing bad here  
  
Disclaimer: Joss, you gave me a wonderful finale. This is my gift in return to you, and your ME staff, for making me sob and scream and yell.   
  
Spoilers: For the finale. Nothing much else.  
  
Feedback: It's been so long since I've gotten any. Please. Don't make me beg. Maybe it'll jump start my muse once more. greenbunygoddess@aol.com  
  
Distribution: At my site, The Bunny Warren, FF.net, any list archives, and if anyone else wants, please just ask. It makes me warm and fuzzy inside, and I've never said no yet.  
  
Dedication: To all of my Welcome friends. You kept me sane in the aftermath. To Meltha, and Meg, and RyAn, and everyone who brought a few things to my attention that I never would have noticed.  
  
A/N: Written in about five minutes after a certain long and painful chat. I hope it doesn't suck.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"B? You gonna be okay?"  
  
"I'm fine, Faith. I just...I need to be alone for a minute."  
  
Faith stared at Buffy's prone figure. She lay curled into a ball, hugging her arms to her body. Frowning, Faith turned away, closing the hotel door behind her and heading to the other rooms to see how the rest of the girls were doing.  
  
Buffy stared at the bland comforter of the motel bed. It was a seedy motel, but it was the closest one they could find with enough rooms to fit all the girls. Everyone was tired, drained from the extreme events of the last few weeks.  
  
Sunnydale was gone.  
  
The idea hadn't entirely sunk into Buffy's head yet. Her entire life was ahead of her. She could do anything she wanted. She could have a normal life.  
  
She missed her mom.  
  
She would never be able to visit her mother's grave again. That was one of the hardest things to come to grips with. Nothing about Sunnydale would be missed besides those graves.  
  
Joyce. Tara. Jenny. Jesse. Even her own. The list was endless. And now there were people who would never get their own graves. Those who were buried beneath the rubble of Sunnydale and the hellmouth. People whose dust would never...  
  
Before the tears that had welled in her eyes could fall, there was a tentative knock on the door.   
  
"I'm fine," Buffy called.  
  
"Buffy? Can I..."  
  
Sitting up slowly, Buffy called, "Come in, Dawn."  
  
The door opened, and Dawn stepped in, what appeared to be a small bookbag clutched in her hand.  
  
"Buffy, I..." She swallowed, and fought to continue in a stronger voice. "Before we left, I got some stuff. Something for everyone. This was from your room. I thought since...maybe you would want..."  
  
Fighting the tears back, Buffy managed, "Thank you, Dawnie. I...thank you."  
  
Dawn walked slowly to the bed, and handed the bag to her sister. Buffy motioned for her to sit down, and slowly opened the bag. The first thing she saw was the dress.  
  
"Dawn...what..."  
  
"It's the dress Mom wore on her last date. I thought...I figured you'd want to keep it. It still smells like her," Dawn said, her voice cracking.  
  
Nodding, Buffy held it to her face, feeling the soft material and smelling her mother's perfume.  
  
The next item made Buffy smile, and even let out a small laugh.  
  
"You always knew where I hid it, didn't you?"  
  
"You could never keep things from me," Dawn said lightly, gently punching Buffy in her shoulder.  
  
Buffy fingered the clasp to her old diary fondly, and set it to the side.  
  
"Before you....before you get to the rest of the stuff, I want you to know...I'm proud of you.  
  
You were amazing, Buffy. I've never been prouder of you."  
  
Buffy smiled, her eyes shining with tears.  
  
"I think both of the Summers women did damn good. Damn good."  
  
Buffy slowly removed the few articles of clothing Dawn had managed to stuff into the bag in such a short amount of time. It would be nice to take a hot shower and get into some clean...  
  
Buffy's thoughts trailed off as she saw what was at the bottom of the bag.  
  
Slowly removing it, she stared up at Dawn with wonder and amazement.  
  
"I knew you couldn't survive without him. Both of them."  
  
Setting it down gently, she pulled Dawn into a bear hug, nearly squeezing all the oxygen from the girl. Dawn hugged back just as tightly, holding her sister as the older girl sobbed violently into her shoulder.  
  
And from the bed, the small pink pig watched knowingly with his beady eyes, the silver cross around his neck glistening in the sunlight of a new day from the open window. 


End file.
